Chance versus intuition is the theme at the Nomad Theatre in East Horsley this week as the players take on Alan Ayckbourn’s ingenious and technically tricksy comic romp, Sisterly Feelings.
It begins with the colourful outdoor set of a hill-top picnic area scaled by a series of inclined slopes. Central to the action are the two eponymous sisters, beautifully and contrastingly played by Helen Dixon (Abigail) and Sarah Wilson (Dorcas). Daughters of the charmingly bumbling, Dr Ralph Matthews, played by Phil Wilcox, their relationship with tall bronzed, athletic Simon (Paris Bailey) leads to both sisters ultimately deciding that their futures are much safer, if less exciting, in the hands of their existing husbands.
In a clever play on form, the playwright offers alternate endings: there are two different versions of the middle two scenes, decided by the flip of the coin onstage. It’s a feat that requires tremendous versatility from the cast. And has the added advantage that audiences will have an entirely different experience if they visit twice.
Catch Sisterly Feelings at the Nomad Theatre, East Horsley until March 14
